Reset the nut

[sockmonkey]

Hi,

I need to reset the nut and I'm not sure what kind of glue to use... Has anybody changed out the nut and put in a new one... It's a Graph Tech Tusq nut... Thanks for any help on this.

Carl

[Rick Banuelos]

Instant Jet low viscosity cyanoacrylate super glue, and I mean a TINY droplet.

[Antlurz]

Probably about anything would do fine here. High strength isn't much of a consideration. Once it is in place with the strings on, the glue is of minor importance. Hide glue, Elmers, Duco, Tite Bond, and crazy glue have all likely shared this particular chore.

The suggetion in the post above is my choice as well.

Ron

[Frank Ford]

When you glue a nut, you'll do yourself a favor by gluing it only on the surface that contacts the END of the fingerboard, and not underneath the nut. Then when it's time to remove the nut a simple tap will knock it away from the fingerboard with no damage either to nut or wood. Glue underneath is a certain way to take extra fibers of wood off each time the nut is removed.

Waterbase wood glue is a great choice because if you spill it, you can wipe it right up safely. . .

[sockmonkey]

Thank You... I've got a better idea of what I need to do, and what to avoid.

Carl

[BlueMountain]

We've probably all seen nuts glued at the bottom that pulled out chunks of wood when they were knocked off. Seems to me that sitting a new nut on top of that could compromise the tone a little, sort of like a bridge that isn't properly seated. I agree with a tiny drop of CA between the nut and the end of the fretboard. Or less. I often don't bother to use any glue, as I change four strings at a time: GE, then DA. If I removed them all at once, glue on the nut would be a good idea.

[Fretbear]

I have also built my mandolin so that the slot between the peghead and the fretboard end holds the nut snugly and doesn't require glue. It requires that the nut thickness be exact.

[Philip Halcomb]

When I was experimenting with making nuts, I used a couple of drops of Elmer's wood glue, as Frank Ford instructed, only using the surface that makes contact with the fingerboard.

[Martin Jonas]

I have also built my mandolin so that the slot between the peghead and the fretboard end holds the nut snugly and doesn't require glue. It requires that the nut thickness be exact.
That's the way it's done on many of the old bowlbacks I've worked on: precise fit of the nut into the slot with no glue. Can be taken out and reinserted in seconds.

Martin

[Stephanie Reiser]

When I started out, I didn't know what type of glue to use or how much to use. So, I did not glue the nut at all. Nowadays I do glue it, but with just a drop of Duco. After reading Frank's post, I will do as he suggests and place that drop on the FB endgrain.
Always, always learning. I love this place.